Workers’ Compensation Claims

As an employer, you of course make safety an utmost priority and hope you never have an employee injured while on the job.  However, it is important to be prepared should that day ever come.

First of all, it should be stated very clearly in your company policy that any accident which occurs in the workplace should be immediately reported, even if the injured worker feels the injury is minor.  From there, your first priority is to make sure your employee has any medical assistance needed.  Then, it is important to immediately follow up with an investigation.  Take photos and obtain signed witness statements to be sure you have a clear picture of the whole story.  Assist your employee with filling out any necessary forms when they are physically able to do so.

Assign someone in your company, preferably the injured employee’s supervisor, to stay in regular contact with the injured employee to see how their recovery is going and assure the employee they are welcome to return to work when they are healed.  Have a return-to-work program in place within your company that allows supervisors and employees to be fully educated regarding any restrictions injured employees may have upon their return to the workplace.  Establishing relationships with local physicians who have experience in occupational health issues is helpful if you need professional advice as you work with returning employees.

Make sure you are aware of the progress of the injured employee’s workers’ compensation claims as they move through the system.  If the claim is not moving forward as you would expect, contact the insurance company to see if you can help the process along.

As you are well aware, workers’ compensation issues can be complex.  It is always advisable to contact an attorney with experience in these types of claims to assist you as you navigate the process.